Shades of Pink
by KRCBCJ
Summary: AU after first half season 3, after Stefan is released from duty to Klaus. Any background you need that hasn't been covered on the show will be explained as the story proceeds.
1. Chapter 1

Pink had never been her favorite color.

She couldn't think of time she'd despised it more as she sat with her back against the bathtub in Damon's bathroom staring down at the deceptively cheerful pink lines on the white stick in her hands.

Thankful she was the only one home, she let out a strangled sob. What was she going to do?

First things first, she gathered up the offending stick and all the other evidence of what she had been doing and shoved it all into the plastic sack from the store. She pushed herself up off the floor and was headed to the trash when she backtracked to one of the spare rooms. She shoved the bag under the mattress and headed back towards Damon's room. Knowing Damon would be home soon and would know where to find her she laid down on the bed and promptly got back up running for the bathroom as nausea took over.

That's where Damon found her when he made his way up the stairs, hunched over the toilet in his bathroom.

"Elena, I thought you were feeling better," he said softly as he took a washcloth out of the cabinet and wet it with warm water. He wrung out the excess water and plopped down on the floor next to her. Silently he ran the cloth over her face. After a few minutes she sat herself up, leaning on his shoulder.

"I thought so too," she said, sounding defeated.

He continued to run the washcloth over her forehead and cheeks for a few quiet moments and then he moved to stand. He bent down and picked her up easily. "Let's get you back to bed." He said as he moved towards the bedroom.

As he settled the blankets over her, Elena curled up in a ball. She was tired. She was weak. She was afraid. And for some reason, she knew Damon didn't recognize any of it. She rolled to her side and closed her eyes.

Damon set the cloth on the nightstand. He readjusted the covers and left the room, intent to call Ric and find out just what was going on.

Later, Elena crawled out of the bed and slinked around the mansion searching for Damon. Not finding him, she grabbed her bag and headed out to the store.

Alaric was surprised to see Damon at the school that evening. Without any preamble, Damon blurted out to the man. "What's wrong with Elena?"

Alaric looked shocked for a moment. A little surprised that Damon had noticed anything at all. He sighed and put down the paper he was grading, "There's always something going around the school, Damon. I'm sure its a virus."

"She's been sick for weeks, Alaric, a virus would have gone away." Damon said forcefully, "She needs to go to a doctor."

Alaric looked up to the distressed vampire unsure what exactly he was expecting him to do. "If Elena is sick enough, she'll go to the doctor."

"You're her father, Ric, for all intents and purposes. MAKE her got to the doctor." Damon said as he pressed his finger into Ric's chest.

Ric almost laughed. "Damon, by now, you should know, NO one makes Elena do anything."

Unable to accept defeat, Damon stood up. "It's gone on long enough, Alaric; she will go to the doctor."

Shoving the bag of her purchases inot her back pack, Elena put it into the passenger seat. She restrained her thoughts as she put the car in drive and head for the boarding house.

She was surprised to see Damon's car still gone from the driveway. Grasping her car keys in her left hand and reaching for her bag with her right, Elena maneuvered herself out of the car.

Unlocking the door, and walking in, out of habit, she called to see if anyone was home. After garnering no attention, she made her way up to Damon's bedroom and went directly to the bathroom, locking the door behind her. She placed her backpack on the counter and sat down on the toilet. Closing her eyes briefly and over thinking everything she stood up. Carefully she opened her backpack and pulled out the plastic bag emptying its contents in the sink. Opening each box and skimming the directions, Elena let herself breathe for a moment before continuing her mission.

Damon didn't know if he should be happy or concerned to see Elena's car still in the driveway. He only hoped she was feeling better.

He briefly glanced in the living room before making his way upstairs. He walked into his bedroom knowing Elena was there. He found her sitting on the bed looking upset and resigned to something.

"Elena?," he whispered now concerned.

She turned to face him then. "Damon,"

He made his way to stand in front of where she sat on the bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Better, I'm" she sighed and lay down on the bed, "Better."

Damon nodded and sat on the bed. He ran his hand across her forehead and cheek as if to check for fever. "I think," he paused, "You need to see a doctor."

"I don't," she said as she turned her head to make better eye contact.

"Elena," he started to protest.

"I'm not sick, Damon." She said as she turned away from him, "I'm pregnant." Then she laughed slightly.

"That's not funny, Elena." Damon said as he turned her back towards him.

"Wasn't meant to be," she said as she hugged her arms to herself.

"I've told you before, Elena, vampires can't procreate." He sighed.

Surprising him, Elena sat up on the bed and moved to the edge. She ran to the bathroom and stepped into the bedroom again before Damon had a chance to realize what she was doing.

Damon watched as she held a white stick in her hands, several of them in fact, "A plus sign, positive." She said as she threw the stick in his direction.

"2 pink lines, positive," another hit the floor next to his right foot.

"And the Coup de grace of your vampires cannot have babies defense," she said as she walked closer to him, "nice black word here," she pointed to the end of the stick, "Pregnant."

She made her way back on the bed and curled up. She looked at the shock on his face. "There are 10 more in the bathroom calling you a liar, if you want to see them."


	2. Chapter 2

It had been three weeks since she'd confirmed her pregnancy. Three weeks since her life had changed. Elena was sitting at the table pretending to be eating while also having a half conversation with someone on her cell phone.

Damon didn't need super hearing to tell that Elena was upset with whoever was on the other end of the phone as he made his way into the kitchen that morning.

She was unimpressed with her bowl of cereal too, idly picking up the spoon and letting the pieces fall back into the milk, splashing in the bowl.

"Bonnie," she sighed as she turned to see him, "Look, I'll call you back later. Good luck."

"Morning," he grinned, "How's Judgy?"

"She still hates you," Elena stated as she got up and moved towards him as she put the bowl in the sink. She gave him a hug then, burying her face into his chest and sighed deeply. "Caroline told her I stayed here again last night. They are starting to think something is up."

He laughed at that. Vampire Barbie and the witch had long sense stopped thinking something was up and had moved into the something was totally going on territory, poor Elena just like to delude herself into thinking she could pull off hiding her true emotions. "You have to tell them sometime," he gave her a gentle squeeze then pulled away, "Why postpone the inevitable?"

That was the wrong thing to say he realized very quickly judging my the look on her face. "You don't think this might take some adjusting to for everyone." She poked him in the chest then moved away angry. "It's not as if its something small, Damon, it's kind of a big deal."

He stared her down momentarily, and then proceeded to look her in the eyes. "Can't adjust to something," he moved his hands as if weighing something, "If you don't know about it." Then he made his way into the living room and sat on one of the chairs knowing she'd follow.

"I'll do it soon. I promise." She said as she laid herself down on the couch, reaching behind her to pull a blanket down and over herself.

"Aren't you going to school?" he asked curious to her actions.

"No school today," she whispered as if it was self explanatory, and then expanded, "Finals."

Trying to appease her and get back on her good side, he moved over to the couch and propped her legs into his lap, massaging them gently. "We could start family night back up. I always liked family night."

She just sighed and snuggled in deeper on the couch pulling the blanket snug around her self.

But Damon wasn't one to give up easily. "Host a dinner party."

"Because your dinner parties always end well." She said with a laugh.

"It's never my fault," he said with a tone of seriousness.

Elena sat up at that comment. Moved herself to a sitting position next to him then. "Sure honey, sure" she said with mock sincerity. Then she patted him on the head and got up moving towards the door.

But before she could even reach the handle, Damon was in front of her. "Where are you going?"

She laughed then. Loudly and over exaggeratedly. "No time like the present." She said. "I'm going to see Bonnie and Caroline. Tonight," she pointed at him, "You and I can go see Ric."

"I need a drink." He sighed deeply.

"Damon," she said getting serious, "You're the one who pointed out we need to get it over with."

He gave her a kiss on the lips then another on her forehead as her pulled her in for a hug. "It's going to be okay." He whispered. And internally he hoped he was right. Because he couldn't imagine if things didn't go well.

Both Caroline and Elena were out of school all day but Bonnie had one test to take. They made plans to meet at Caroline's and Bonnie would stop and pick up some lunch on her way over from the school.

Elena beat Bonnie to the Forbes' house by fifteen minutes. Knowing there would be no point in waiting in her vehicle, Elena made her way to the front door. As usual, Caroline didn't wait for a knock before opening the door to her friend and gesturing she come inside.

Elena hugged Caroline and then took a seat on the couch as they waited for Bonnie. They made idle chit chat about the remaining few months of school and what was going on around them.

Elena had practiced a speech in her head going over and over it in her mind on the drive over. In the end, as things always happened, the speech never made it to fruition. It was onions and Caroline's vampire hearing that gave her away.

She'd starting thinking the morning sickness was behind her. And it seemed to be, at least until Bonnie arrived carrying in food from the grille. Cheeseburgers and onion rings. Bonnie had barely made it through the front entryway with the goods before Elena was running off towards the bathroom looking green.

Neither girl went to follow her, both at first out of shock, and then because as quickly as she had run off, Elena was back in front of them again.

"The onion rings," she stated full of conviction, "have got to go." Then she covered her nose with her hands and tried to breathe the nausea away.

Not quite understanding the problem, but wanting to help, Caroline used her vampire speed to remove the offending food from the room while Bonnie blankly stared at Elena waiting for an explanation. Surely her thoughts have led her astray and she cannot be right about this.

Caroline arrives at the tail end of what she's sure was a long tirade. Bonnie stood there staring at Elena exasperated. "Out with it, Elena." The witch said as she gestured between the three of them.

Caroline moved in between her two friends, happy to referee the spat, when she heard it. It was faint and she didn't comprehend what exactly she was hearing until..

"I'm pregnant," Elena whispered, a few tears falling down her face.

She might as well have screamed she was a murderer the reaction she got from Bonnie. Bonnie glared angrily at Elena, then turned to Caroline and glared even more. Caroline was happy, even giddy.

"Elena, you can't be serious," Bonnie sputtered as she gathered her things up and headed for the door again, "I can't handle this right now."

And so Elena was left sobbing into her vampire best friend's lap while Caroline restrained herself from shouting congratulations.

After crying it out and then talking to Caroline for a while longer, Elena started to leave. Thankful she had at least one friend on her side she gave Caroline a hug. "I have to go. Damon and I are talking to Ric tonight."

She looked away briefly. "I don't think its going to go well." With that Elena opened the door and headed out towards her car.

"She just needs time, Elena," Caroline yelled out to her. "Bonnie will come around."

Elena nodded at her friend in response hoping she was right. She hated when any of them fought. She fought to control her emotions as she drove back to the boarding house.

Damon met her at the door upon her arrival. As he held his arms open for her, he spoke. "Vampire Barbie called."

Elena snorted against his chest. Damn Caroline and her big mouth.

Before she even realized what had happened Damon had her in his lap on the couch. She looked up at his face trying to discern his mood.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, "about Bonnie."

Not knowing how to respond she just nodded and laid her head against his chest again wiling her head to shut up.

A/N – I have never been a fan of a rushed story, so there is definitely a slow build here. You will get the entire back story eventually. Bonnie's always seemed to me the type to rush judgment without thinking things through or asking questions first. She and Elena will talk it out later as they always do. Jeremy is still in Denver.


End file.
